Hardest of Hearts
by DanaIsis
Summary: Richard Messener/OC Erica:::What if you found the love of your life, but you were just too afraid to do anything about it? Would you let the opportunity simply just pass you by until it was too late? Seven part one-shot. Easter Eggs to come!
1. Emotional Rollercoaster

I gasped sharply as I felt my orgasm come to an end. Loosening my fingers that had took holds of Richards's hair; I rolled off of him to sit up against the headboard. Pulling the sheets up to cover my breasts I leaned back, brushing a hand through my tousled hair. I looked over at him; he was still lying on his back, eyes closed and breaths easing to a normal pace. The beads of sweat glistened off of his sculpted chest beautifully, for he was an even more beautiful man. But I needn't have that thought running through my head; after all he was only here for the sex.

"Are you hungry?" I asked, rubbing the back of my neck as I turned my head towards him.

"Hmm?" he said opening his eyes, blink them a few times. "What?"

"I said are you hungry?" I said removing the covers from my naked form, walking to the end of the bed to pick up my silk robe. Tying the belt that was attached to the robe, I walked over to his side of my bed and sat next to him.

He grasped my arm in his hand, rubbing my light brown skin softly, almost lovingly. "Yeah, what do you have?" he asked me sitting up, his legs swinging over the bedside, as he placed one of his legs on either side of me.

"I made some pasta last night," I said, my hands covering his that drew circles on my thighs. "I could heat you up some if you want."

He continued caressing my thighs—if he kept at that we'd never make it out of this bed. He moved his hands to wrap around my waist, his face nuzzling in the crook of my neck. Why was he doing this? Touching me like he did that is. It was bad enough that we were already friends-with-benefits, but did he have to add this amount of intimacy into the picture? I only accepted it because I enjoyed the feel of him on my skin, but it broke my heart that I was too damn afraid to tell him how I felt. And then he had to touch me the way he did, but I guess that's a guy thing.

"Yeah, yeah I'll take some," he said dropping his hands as I removed myself to head to the kitchen.

My bare feet made its way to my small kitchen, Richard not far behind, but he already had on his jeans that he came over here with. That was all he had on though, the jeans fitting snug on him, that amazing happy trail that led to one of the things I loved most about him. I shook those thoughts from my head, reaching into the fridge to take out the small pot of spaghetti & meatballs and the small pan of garlic bread I cooked from scratch. There was no point in making a huge batch, especially since I lived by myself in this small apartment. He took a seat at the small table that seated four, and angled the chair so he could watch me. Damn I swear when he looked at me that way, I wanted to drop all my morals and just jump on him.

He really did make it hard on me whenever I was around him, one minute we could be just talking, and hanging out together with friends, and then the next he would have me on all fours crying out his name like no tomorrow. I set enough food for two inside the microwave, and set it for two minutes. I turned and walked over, two cups of in my hand; one filled with coffee for him, the other tea for me—he always needed his coffee.

"Thanks Erica," he said taking the hot cup from my hands as he sipped on it.

"Mhmm," I replied, taking a seat from across him. "What time are you going in tomorrow?" I asked taking a sip from my cup as well.

He sighed at first, "Actually I'll be in a little late, round ten or eleven. There are a few things I gotta take care of before work tomorrow." He leaned back into the cushion of the chair, his feet outstretching across the shaggy rug.

"I see," I replied. I didn't pry into what he was doing. I always tried to refrain from being a nosy person.

The beep went off, and I stood to go get out the hot food. Richard's hand grabbed my arm, stopping me.

"Sit down, I'll get it," he smirked at me, walking over to the microwave as I sat back in my chair. Smiling inwardly at my friend. This man was truly amazing; no wonder I was in love with him. Something I had _no_ intention, whatsoever of doing when I stepped into this _agreement._

He came back over, setting my food in front of me first, then his as he took his seat. I watched him twirl the fork around the long noodle before he placed it in his place. Following the bite of spaghetti with a bite of garlic bread. And then another bite of the spaghetti from his fork, followed by more garlic bread. I hadn't realized I was watching him scarf down the food I cooked until he said something.

"What?" he said, an innocent look on his face. "I'm hungry alright." He whined continuing to eat the food as if he had never eaten before. "You did quite the number on me in there little lady."

I could feel the blush coming on me; I couldn't believe he said that. I immediately started eating my own food, ignoring the hotness of it. I was not a bad cook, if I may say so myself—my mother taught me well. We continued eating in silence, until I felt the sharpness of my teeth bite down on my tongue.

"Holy sh—!" I cried out, dropping the fork onto my plate. Holding my mouth in pain as I jumped from my seat. I was sure I looked incredibly stupid as I pranced around the small room, holding my mouth in pain.

I didn't stop pacing the room while yelling out strings of profanities, until I felt a strong pair of hands grasp around me. "Someone's a potty mouth…" he said in a sing-song voice. I looked at him at glared, he held up his hands in defense, "with good reason." He quickly said. Placing his hands on me again, rubbing his hands up and down my arms.

"Let me see," he said, placing a finger on my chin. I stood still and groaned as I stuck my tongue out for him to inspect. "It's not that bad, I'm sure you just need a kiss to make it better."

I sighed out at that. Why did he do that? I looked at him, trying hard to withhold my feeling from showing in my eyes. I didn't want him to know—well I did, but I wasn't one that was fond of rejection. Both of us had just ended bad relationships, and neither of us was just yet ready to hop into a new one. So we simply settled for friends with benefits, it was much easier this way—but also harder this way.

I understood that everything he did was with the best intentions, but even the sweetest of words had the bitterest taste. He just didn't understand that some of the things he did, made me fall more and more in love with him.

He inclined his head towards mine, and I was too damn weak to not kiss him. I allowed his lips to touch my own, his overpowering mine easily. His tongue pushed against my lips; wanting entrance and I parted them; giving it to him. His hands found their way to the back of my head, pushing us closer. My own hands snaked around his neck, holding onto him as we let our tongues fight for dominance. I already knew he would win in the end. I felt a hand slip beneath my robe, his fingers trailing towards my core. I moaned out, his fingers teasing me.

Great, another reason for me to be mad at him and love him at the same time. I didn't understand how a man could be so blind to what his actions did to another person. Didn't he even have the slightest idea that I had feeling for him? I mean I knew he knew I was attracted to him, but didn't he see that there was more to it than that?

"Stop," I breathed out heavily, placing a hand in between us. Pushing him from me. "Just…stop."

"What?" he said confused, as I made my way to the kitchen, opening the Tupperware cabinet. "Did I do something wrong?"

I stopped and looked at him. Wanting so badly to tell him that I was falling for him. Just tell him, perhaps he felt the same way. "No," I sighed, taking out a container. "You did something right."

He looked at me confused and dumbfounded. He watched me fill the container with the food that was on his plate, making it to-go for him. I closed the top, and handed it to him. The look on his face was enough to make me want to go and cry.

"Then what Erica?" he said, taking the food from my hand. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." I lied. Walking to the living room to pick up his shirt that lay on the couch. "I just—I need to get some rest. It's already 11:07, and I've gotta get up early."

He glanced down at his watch, looking back up at me as he took his short from my hands. "Yeah you're right, it's uh, it's gettin' late. I should go."

I nodded as he set the food down on the counter to slip his shirt on. Picking up the food he walked over to where his keys and wallet lay. Taking them both as I walked him to the door where he slipped on his shoes.

"Guess I'll see you tomorrow at the office then?" he said as I opened the door.

I looked at him and nodded, him stepping out into the hallway.

"Alright, I'll uhh, I'll see you 'round Erica." He turned and left. I yelled out a drive safe before I closed and locked the door.

I walked back over to my seat and began eating again. Tears already forming in my eyes. I dropped the fork and let the tears come pouring down. My head hung low in my hands, as I cried my eyes out for this man. That just gave me the push I needed to make my decision—I was gonna transfer to another FBI branch, Richard was too much for me and I couldn't be around him, feeling like this anymore.

I was gonna leave.

**Airika (ThisSideorTheOther) doll I hoped you liked that! I plan on having another out hopefully soon! This is only part 1/7**

**Questions, comments, concerns—leave them in a review ;)**


	2. Fake It

**Two years before the Lake Tahoe incident**

"New York?" Locke said to me. "That's where you wanna go? New York?"

"Yes," I lied. "I'd like to be closer to my family, especially with my sister being pregnant right now." My sister was pregnant, but the real reason I wanted to get out of California was Richard Messner. I was falling for him, and I was falling hard. I doubted that he felt the same for me, so instead of taking the bull by the horns, I chose to run like a coward.

"Alright than," he said taking his glasses off of his face to pinch the bridge of his nose. "New York it is. I'll have Gina send the transfer papers by tonight."

"New York?" I heard you know whose voice say behind me. "What the hell are you going to New York for?"

I turned to see Richard standing in the doorway of Locke's office. "How long have you been standing there?" I stood from my seat, flattening out my gray dress pants. The look on Richard's face was one of both shock and confusion.

"I'm transferring to New York to be closer to my family, Mariah's pregnant." I walked over to him, meeting him halfway in the middle of Locke's office.

"Is-is this about last night?" he asked me in a hushed tone, my eyes growing wide at the statement. Of course this was about what happened last night, what else would it have been about?

_Yes_.

"No," I lied once again. "Thanks director Locke," I turned to shake the elder man's hand. "It was a pleasure working with you."

"You too Agent Jones," he said shaking my hand in return. "Good luck in New York; it's a much tougher place than Los Angeles."

"Thank you, I'll remember that," with that I began walking out of Locke's office, Richard hot on my trail as he followed me to my cubicle where I already had boxes ready to be filled. I was leaving on the first plane to New York in the morning at seven.

"You wanna tell me what the hell is goin' on?" Richard said to me, standing by me as I began filling the boxes with my things. "Just yesterday you were fine, and now all of a sudden you're leaving?"

"Look Richard," I said turning to face the pissed off look on his face. "I already told you, I want to be closer to my family. They're a big part of my life, and I wanna be there when Mariah has the baby, so it would be easier if I just left now."

"Why can't you just leave nine months from now?" This time he had taken to grabbing both my wrists, stopping me from packing my belongings. "You didn't even tell me about this, you know maybe this was something you could've mentioned last night—wait is this why you were acting so weird last night? Is this why you kicked me out because you knew that would be the last time we fooled around?"

I looked at him incredulous, it being my turn to be angry with him. How dare he say those things?

"Richard who in the hell do you think you are?" I said, pointing a finger in his chest. My voice was low, but harsh towards the tall man. "What's going on right now has _nothing_ to do with what's going on between us. I already told you, Mariah's—"

"Mariah's pregnant." He cut me off. "Yeah so you keep saying. But I just get the feeling that that's not the reason behind all this. Why don't you go ahead and tell me? We're friends right?"

My mouth dropped at the not so new realization. There was another reason I was leaving—because we were _friends_, and that's all we'll ever be. I sighed into my hands, dragging them down my face as I looked back at him. "Yeah, Richard. We're friends," I sighed out and continued to pack my things, almost finished.

"Erica, will you please think abo—"

"Hey you know the lover's quarrel you two are having can be heard throughout this entire floor," Donald Carruthers had interjected, coming to sit on my now empty desk. "What's wrong? Trouble in paradise?"

Really? Did he have to come over here with his smart alec remarks and unknowingly make the situation worse?

"Erica's transferring to the New York branch," Richard spoke up. Filling in the blacks for him.

"What?" Donald said looking at me with disbelief as I finished packing my things. I looked up at him, tucking a strand of my black hair behind my ear. "Why are you leaving?"

"Yeah, that's what I'd like to know too." I glared daggers at Richard, why was he still under the assumption that I my reason for leaving wasn't the truth? I mean it wasn't the truth, but why couldn't he just take it as if it was?

"Why can't you guys just respect my decision and leave it at that?" I said closing the two boxes filled to the brim with my belongings. "Whether or not you believe my reason for leaving doesn't even matter. What matters is that I'm leaving and you need to deal with that. End of discussion."

"I'd just like a legit answer that's all," I heard Richard mumble lowly. I turned to him, and he glared at me with equal anger. "Erica I'm just sayin', we've all been working together goin on three years now. I at least think this is something you could've discussed with your peers you know?"

I shook my head and sighed deeply. He was right, but this was a spontaneous decision—I didn't have time to talk it over with any of my co-workers. I just wanted to get home, pack the rest of my things, and get in that plane so I could see my family. In all fairness I did miss them like crazy, and I couldn't wait to go see them.

"I'm sorry I didn't talk to you about it first okay," I said looking over at Richard. "I really am, but right now I just need to hurry and pack. I have a seven o'clock flight in the morning."

He looked shocked to hear that too.

"So soon," he breathed out. "Well do you need any help taking these to your car?"

"Yeah, actually I do." He and Donald had already picked up both of my boxes, and began in the direction of the elevator.

As they headed over to the elevators, I said my goodbyes to the people I was close to, I knew I was definitely gonna miss everyone here. They had all been so wonderful, and kind. And we all had some really good memories on the cases we were given. But I wasn't gonna miss anyone here half as much as I was gonna miss Richard. It would be much easier for me to simply stay, but that probably would've been more complicated too. I didn't need to be distracted, especially in a job force like this. Finally I caught up to them in the elevator and we headed down to the basement/parking lot floor. They walked me to my small car and I was able to place the boxes in the back seat. My trunk being occupied by clothes I already had started packing last night after Richard left.

"Wait, Erica," Donald said grabbing my arm, stopping me from getting into the car. "How 'bout the three of us go out for drinks tonight? For old time's sake eh?"

I enjoyed the suggestion, it was one of the things we all did together. Hell Donald was the one that introduced me and Richard, he figured we'd hit it off and end up together. We did, just not in the way he had planned.

"That sounds nice," I said smiling and nodding my head. "I wouldn't mind a drink or two."

"I guess it's a date then," Richard piped up looking between me and Donald. "So Nicky's at eight tonight?"

"Sounds good," Donald said, slapping both me and Richard on the back. "See you guys there, c'mon Richard."

"See you later Erica," Richard said before being led towards the elevator by Donald. I could tell by the look on his face that he still didn't believe me.

I sighed and got in my car as soon as they were out of sight. Starting the car, I pulled out and headed to my apartment building that was only half an hour away.

**oOoOoOo**

"Hey guys," I said walking up, seeing Richard and Donald standing by the entrance. "Why haven't you gone inside yet? It's a bit chilly out tonight."

"Not really," Richard said looking me up and down. "I think it was you poor choice of clothes that's making you so cold." He and Donald laughed at me. I didn't agree with that, I thought my clothing was very sensible for tonight. It consisted of a dark pair of jeggings, boots, a sequined tank top, and a leather jacket. I thought I was dressed appropriately for this being my last night in Los Angeles.

"Whatever," I said brushing past them to enter the warm bar. The feel of the warmth was refreshing to me, compared to the coldness outside. Richard and Donald weren't far behind as they walked ahead of me, towards our usual table.

I removed my jacket as we walked over to the small area where our booth was. I hadn't even noticed the surplus of people that were over there until they all yelled out "Surprise!" I wasn't usually one for surprises, but on this occasion I enjoyed it. just about everyone we worked with was here, this actually made me wanna go and cry in one of the bathroom stalls. I walked over and gave everyone a small embrace and a thank you. I knew exactly who was behind this—Richard.

It was now nearing 11 p.m. and the party was over, on account of me needing to get home so I could rest. I said my goodbyes to everyone, not without a few tears escaping my eyes I hugged everyone goodbye. Richard stayed behind with me as I said goodbye to everyone. When we left the bar, he walked me over to the parking lot—making sure I got there safe.

"You know you really didn't have to do all this for me," I said to him once we neared my car. The party was amazing, and everyone kept giving me gift after gift. It really was sweet, but only meant I had more stuff to pack.

"Well you deserved it," he said to me. Setting his hand on the roof of the car, leaning on it as he stood facing me. "Couldn't let you leave LA without a proper going away party."

See, it was the little things like that that made me fall for him. Which I why I was leaving in the first place, there was no need to drag this out any further than I already had. I just needed to leave and be done with it. Who knows, maybe sometime down the road one of us will run into each other again. It's a possibility.

"So seven o'clock tomorrow?" he said looking down at the ground as he asked me the question he already knew the answer to. "I still can't believe you're leaving the bureau."

"Just the LA branch," I corrected him. looking at him as I wrapped my arms around myself. "I'm still gonna be an FBI agent Richard."

"Yeah," he trailed off. "We should get outta here. You're gonna need to rest up."

I nodded, and unlocked my car with the key remote. Opening the door wide enough for me to get in. I couldn't believe I was even doing this, but I had to. If I wanted to move on this was something that was mandatory in my life. Getting Richard Messner out of it.

"Sure you don't want any company tonight?" he said, that seductive glint in his eyes. Of course—men only think with _one_ head. "I could even drive you to the airport tomorrow."

I eyed him carefully. I knew exactly what he was doing, and I know he knew too. It was that damn smiled I had became accustomed to, you know the ones guys flash at you that make you just wanna rip off your clothes and let them do you right there in front of everyone? Yeah _that_ smile. Like any other woman would, I gave in.

I was sure that the rate we were going to my house was illegal. I was sure we even skipped a red light on the way here. But all those thoughts left my head as soon as my back hit the bed, with Richard on top of me. our bodies were naked—we wasted no time in getting undressed as soon as I got the door unlocked. We had to maneuver our bodies around all the boxed that were filled with my things, so we could get to the bedroom. My comforter being the only unpacked thing in the apartment. Richards lips on my collar bone, leaving kisses like a signature felt extremely good on my skin.

When he entered me, my hands immediately wound their way into his brown hair. Gripping onto him, I moaned uncontrollably. There was so much tension in this sex; it could be cut with a knife. I could tell by his hard hitting thrusts and his rough panting. This was going to be the last time this ever happened between us. There was nothing soft, sweet, or sensual about what we were doing right now, if anything I would consider this rough sex by the way his hips hit into my own, almost painfully, but the pleasure overpowered it.

This was extremely different from all the other times. In a way I actually liked it—as weird as that sounds. Now I was definitely not one for rough sex, but in this case I might make an exception. The intensity of his thrusts made me shutter and cry out each time. I was glad he had decided to come over for a last time, dare I say it? fuck.

I decided to screw it—if this was gonna be the last time we did this, I was gonna enjoy _every_ moment of this. By the way he was thrusting into me, I knew it wasn't gonna take long for either of us to come. And I was right.

I held onto him tighter, I could already feel it coming; my orgasm. Richard's hips hit into me several more times before we both came. I didn't care if he would have scars on his back, hell this was the best sex we've ever had, all on account that I was leaving. His moans were loud as I felt him fill me up; he collapsed on top of me, both of us spent. Even though that was a rough quickie, it left us both equally tired. Not to mention it was already half past midnight. And just like that, we fell asleep in the position we were in—and I didn't mind one bit.

**Part 2/7. **

**Ehh…not too sure of how I feel about this chapter. In the meantime I hope you all enjoyed it, another will be out soon ;)**

**Questions, comments, concerns—leave them in a review ;)**


	3. Heavy In Your Arms

**Two years before the Lake Tahoe incident**

"So this is it huh?" Richard said to me as I stood at gate 17, awaiting my flight to New York. He looked as if he was holding tears back in his eyes. I could tell they were threatening to spill over, but he was fighting to hold them back.

I didn't really want to leave, but I really needed to move on. And this was how I had to do it.

"We'll see each other again," I shrugged. Looking up at him as I tilted my head to look directly in his eyes. "I know we will."

I watched the ground below me grow smaller and smaller. I was on the plane to New York; and I was gonna miss Richard like crazy. Saying goodbye to him was one of the hardest things I'd probably ever done. The way he held me when I was going to board the plane was an embrace so different than any other time. Almost as if it was a sign that u should stay, but I left. Now that I was finally on the plane, I regretted not telling him, how bad I wanted to go back and run into his arms and tell him how badly I wanted to be with him. Now that chance was gone.

**Present Day**

**Operation: Buddy Israel **

**Location: Nomad Casino; Lake Tahoe**

I walked through the casino, dodging the crowed place professionally. I was in the Nomad Casino looking for Buddy Israel—my orders were to protect him and bring him back safely. As I walked I heard the most familiar voice—a voice I hadn't heard in two years…

"I need to get Deputy Director Locke on a hard line as soon as possible." Turning around I faced Richard Messner. He was talking to Steve and it looks as if they're both here on the Buddy Israel case. I saw him and Steve part ways, and I rushed over to Richard.

"Richard," I said placing a hand on his shoulder as I turned him around to face me. He had grown even more handsome then when I last saw him. I couldn't believe it, I'm sure the surprised look on my face said it all.

"Erica?" he said looking just as shocked, if not more. "What are you doing here? Are you here for Israel too?" he said placing his hands on my shoulders.

"Yeah," I said to him. "I had orders to pick him up and bring him to LA safely. But I didn't know that you would be here too—I—." I stopped, at a loss for words as I looked upon the familiar face. A face I once-still was in love with.

"Alright look, there's someone posing as an FBI agent, they're trying to get to Israel," he said to me as we headed towards an elevator. Apparently this Sparazza wanted Israel dead badly.

"Yeah I know, I heard it through the grapevine," I told him as we entered the elevator full of other FBI agents. "My team's already on it, I've got two people heading up to the penthouse right now. I was just on m—" he held his finger up for me to pause; he heard something coming through his ear piece.

He looked like he had just seen a ghost, wasting no time in hitting the emergency brake as he yelled to no one in particular to stop the elevator. He took it upon himself to stop it instead. He took his gun from his holster as everyone else did the same. I looked over at his curiously, waiting for him to give me an answer as to what was going on.

"It's Carruthers." That's all he needed to say, I could tell be the look on his face that something was wrong, he didn't even need to say anything to me.

I took out my gun as well, waiting for him to reveal what to do next.

"Prepare to move." All of the agents exited the elevator as Richard gave orders; he set us up in a perimeter surrounding the elevator. I staged myself on a nearby wall close to the elevator; taking my stance as I watched Richard kneel by the table with the flower atop it. Finally looking towards the open doors of the elevator, from where I stood I could see the dead—or near dying body of one of my former teammates; Donald Carruthers. I couldn't believe what I had seen; I had to hold back the lump that lodged itself in my throat. All of a sudden I got the sickest feeling in my throat. It felt as if a huge boulder had set itself in the bottom of my stomach—from that moment on I knew shot was about to go downhill right now.

I stood my ground as I watched Olson near the elevator, his gun held out in front of him as he inched closer and closer to the open doors. Out of nowhere Olson was shot by a bullet coming in from the window. Apparently there was another shooter—someone not in the building. That's when the shit hit the fan.

Before I knew it, bullets were flying everywhere; hell it took me a moment to realize that I was also already firing my gun. I had let out a few rounds towards the direction of whoever was shooting at us from another building. I continued to shoot as I ran my way towards the elevator seeing another body in the same condition as Donald's. I continued to fire as I neared closer and closer to the elevator, I was gonna take out whoever had shot my friend. I wasn't even two feet away when I felt the most sickening feeling pierce right through me—literally.

I dropped my gun to the floor as I held my hand to my chest, my fingers feeling wet as I looked down to see the red liquid staining them—blood. Looking at my blood stained fingers I hadn't noticed another shot heading towards me; it hit me in the arm; right through my shoulder. I cried out again. And then another bullet went right through me, this one hit me in my thigh and I fell to the ground. I cried out intensely. Unable to lie on my back, for if I did the pain would only increase. I had been shot through the back, arm, and thigh by the sniper shooter from the other building.

Bullets were flying left and right as I continued to see the scene unfold before my weakening eyes. There was no way I was going to stay conscious at the amount of blood I was losing. I watched as Richard pulled Don from the elevator, he was dying already. I looked on as many of my former friends were shot at, some hit and others not. I had begun crying as I started to lose the feeling in some of my limbs. I didn't want to die like this…I couldn't die like this. I looked up to see Richard yelling as he tried to revive an already dead Donald Carruthers. And then he turned his eyes to face my dying form.

I saw all the color drain from his face as he saw the condition I was in. luckily someone had came to aid Carruthers and Richard got up and rushed over to me. Dropping to his knees as his hands wrapped themselves around me, turning me to face him.

"Er-Erica," he breathed out as I saw tears from in the corners of his eyes. "Where are you hit? How-how bad is it?" he stuttered through the words as he hastily unbuttoned my shirt, thankfully I was wearing a white tank top—that by now was red. He removed the shirt from my body and inspected my wounds.

"Richard," I exhaled as tears ran down my eyes. I placed a bloody hand on his face as I weakly caressed the skin on his face. "Richard, I-I have something to-to tell you…" I said, wanting to get the words out, before it was too late.

"God you're hurt really bad," he said as I saw the tears fall from his eyes. His heavy hands pressing hard on my back as he tried to stop the blood from flowing out. "I need a medic!" I heard his voice say, as he looked around desperately trying to find someone to help me. "Someone get me a fucking medic!" he said impatient.

"Please," I said placing my fingers on his lips, trying to stop him from speaking. "I _have_ to tell you." I pleaded with him, my eyes blurred from the tears that flowed down my face like the Nile River.

He stopped talking and watched me intently, waiting for me to say what I had to.

"I…love…you," I breathed out in pants, my breathing shortening as I tried to get it all out in these last few minutes I knew I would have with him. He looked at me as if time stood still for only us. "I've been wanting to say that…for so long," I said, nearly choking on the words.

"Erica?" he said questioningly. "Why didn't you ever tell me? Wh—" he had begun crying even more. Suddenly I felt like the world's biggest bitch for keeping it from him, had I known that he felt the same way I would've said it to him that first night we had sex.

"I-I was just so…afraid to tell y-you," I said to him, holding onto his arm for dear life. "I…I-I didn't think you fe-felt the same way…I didn't want to-to look like an idiot for…falling for my co-worker," I told him the truth. "God Richard I love you so much!" I cried even harder as I continued to feel weaker and weaker. I didn't want to leave him just when I had told him the truth. I prayed that through some miracle I would live through this, but I doubted it as Richard's voice began sounding as if it was far away—like he was in a tunnel trying to speak to me.

White and black dots began dancing around my vision, my hearing was clouded; like I was underwater and I couldn't hear a thing. Everything was slowing down for me, and from that moment on I knew what was happening. I was dying…

**Part 3/7. **

**Awwl, this chapter made me cry as I wrote it…I hope you all liked it though! I should have the next one out hopefully tomorrow! The next one will be one of the endings; I have TWO alternate endings for this fic ;)**

**And **_**yes**_** I realize this is short, but hey, quality over quantity ;)**

**Also I plan on having an Alainah Young/Embry Call update out tomorrow if any of you are following that story ;)**

**Questions, comments, concerns—leave them in a review ;)**


	4. Un Amico

**ENDING ONE::PART ONE**

**Present Day**

**Operation: ****Buddy Israel**

**Location: California Medical Center; Los Angeles**

"How is she?" the voices were faint, hell every sound around me was faint. But the beeping of an electronic monitor and the various tubes I felt, I could tell I was inside of a hospital. And the voice I heard was that of Richard Messner. He was here with me all along—just how I would've wanted it. I attempted to open my eyes, but it was almost a futile try. After a fit of blinking my vision steadied and I didn't need to see myself to realize I was in a critical condition. I was hurting everywhere, no matter the amount of pain killers they gave me; I was in pain like no other.

I could see Richard standing at the foot of my bed, talking to a nurse about my condition. She didn't look like she had much hope, and that just killed me. I knew I was weak, but I could only hope my will to live would get me through this. I wanted to say something to him, but the tube that was placed in my mouth prevented that. Unfortunately my eyes had started getting heavier and heavier by the minute. Their voices sounded like Richard's did when I was shot—far away. I could only pick up bits and pieces of their conversation as I drifted back into unconsciousness.

I heard words like "surgery," "blood transfusion," and the one that dreaded my heart: "might not make it." Those were the last things I heard before I allowed the darkness to take me over again.

I sat in the chair next to Erica's bed. I hadn't left her side since she'd been admitted to the hospital. The only time I left was for bathroom breaks or to get a cup of coffee, hell I haven't even slept since I've been here. I knew the sleep deprivation was evident on my eyes; I could feel the heavy bags and the dark circles that showed how tired I was. But I couldn't sleep—I _wouldn't_ sleep until Erica woke up. They told me she would be going into surgery for the blood transfusion soon, an hour and a half to be exact. I would stay by her side the entire time; I didn't want to leave her alone again.

I rested my elbows on my knees as I leant forward, looking at how weak her body was. That damn nurse said she might not survive the blood transfusion due to the amount of blood she loss and how severe her wounds were. The major bullet had clipped her lung, which made sense when she had spitting up blood after she passed out in my arms. The second bullet went through her shoulder, it hadn't done much damage, but the bullet in her die went right through her femoral artery. They said they were surprised she was living this long, but I knew Erica would make it through. She _had_ to. I had already lost Don; I wasn't going to lose Erica too. I still didn't know what was going on with this bullshit case, but once Erica went into surgery I was damn sure going to find out from Locke if I had to drag it outta him.

I sighed heavily into my hands, leaning back up as I slouched in my chair taking in Erica's form. I brought my hand to rest on her arm; I started thinking back to what she had said to me in the casino.

"_I…love…you," she breathed out in pants, her breathing shortening as she tried to speak to me. I was completely shocked as she revealed this to me. "I've been wanting to say that…for so long," she said, nearly chocking on the words._

"_Erica?" I said questioningly. "Why didn't you ever tell me? Wh—" I had begun crying even more. Suddenly I felt as if she betrayed me. She should've told me before; she should've told me instead of running away. Why the fuck didn't she ever tell me?_

"_I-I was just so…afraid to tell y-you," she said to me, her fingers digging into the skin of my arms. "I…I-I didn't think you fe-felt the same way…I didn't want to-to look like an idiot for…falling for my co-worker," she breathed out, her grip on my arm tightening. "God Richard I love you so much!"_

I hadn't noticed the tears had begun falling down my eyes until they hit my arm. I was in love with this woman, I wanted to be with her in more ways than one, and she was struggling for her life right now.

I sighed as I wiped the tears from my face, my heart feeling heavier than ever. I didn't get a chance to tell her how I felt. I've heard that sometimes when a person's unconscious they can still hear you—even if it's faint. I decided I would go ahead and give it a try; I prayed to God that she heard me. I edged closer in my seat, sitting so I could hold her hand and tell her what I've been wanting to say for so long.

"Erica," I started, my hand clutching hers as I caressed it back and forth. "If you can hear me, then-there's a few things I wanna tell you. So just—listen up." I sighed and looked at the serene look on her face. The silence engulfing us like a tidal wave. The beeping of the monitor sounded louder than before as I collected my thoughts.

"From…the moment I first saw you I…I, wanted to just take you in my arms and love you," I said to her, hoping she could hear me. "I had always had feelings for you..I just didn't realize how-how dominant those feelings were until now. I hate that it had to come to this for me to tell you how I felt." I don't know why I this felt as if I was having my last words with her. As hard as I tried to shake the feeling I couldn't get it to stop.

"Erica," I said leaning in closer to her, intertwining our fingers. Hers not as warm as they used to be. I took her hand and pressed it against the side of my face, the smell of sweet ambrosias and wafting up my nose like if used to. "Please push through this, I…love you." My hands were shaking as I told her how I felt. And unless I'd known better, I would've said I felt her hand tighten around my own.

"You have to make it through," I said more like a command to her. "I _need_ you, Erica, please don't die." I was crying again. There seemed to be nothing I could do about that, and I didn't care. I needed this woman to live for me, as selfish as it sounded. Don had already died on me, in my arms no less; I couldn't let Erica die too.

In a way I felt as if I owed it to her to keep her alive. Hell I owed it to Donald too; there was something off about this case. I had to find out what was going on, could there be a possibility that he died in vain? And Erica was well on her way to joining him?

No. I wouldn't let that happen.

Unable to speak anymore, I held her hand to my lips and just continued to sob. Never in a million years did I ever think I would end up here—watching the love of my surviving off of wires. How'd we get here? I should've been a man all those years ago and just told her how I felt. Maybe if I had, we wouldn't be in this position right now. I would've made her quit her job—there's no way I would've let the woman I was in love with risk her life for her job. But knowing Erica she would've just told me I was worrying too much and she'd be fine.

Things would've been so different right now.

"Mr. Messner," a soft woman's voice said entering the room, breaking the silence. "We're ready to take her into surgery now." She said to me, placing a comforting hand on my back.

I looked at her and nodded my head, standing up so that they could take her to the surgery room. I watched as they readied her to be moved, and took her from the room. I stood there, watching as they took Erica to get better.

_Please God let her live._

"Ahh shitcan the cue card rhetoric and talk to me like a man," I said livid at what I had just learned. Pointing my finger at him as he just looked at me, without a care in the world. "You withheld information while Carruthers lay dying in vain and in the dark, and Erica is dying right now as we speak." I couldn't believe the shit he was spewing as he wouldn't admit that what he did was wrong. "And your reasons for doing that are exactly what?"

He just stood there, hands in his pocket as if nothing had happened. He let us go in there; he allowed unnecessary deaths occur, and it still hadn't changed his demeanor. I had always figured his to be an asshole, but I couldn't believe that he didn't care about what he did to people that trusted him with their life.

"Some mob fossil that the bureau built? You tell me something, is he the Rosetta stone that's gonna blow the lid off the last sixty years?" I asked nonchalantly and sarcastically as I looked from him to Israel & Sparazza.

"Possibly," he said as if he was telling me what he had for breakfast.

"Or is his ultimate worth bullshit—utterly useless," I said to him, unable to withstand his careless attitude anymore.

"That's a risk we have to take," he replied emotionless.

"Yeah empty pockets—empty pockets paid for by the lives of our own people," I said, getting angrier by every piece of shit thing that came out of his mouth.

"You're blowing this way out of proportion—" That was the last straw.

"Are you out of your fucking mind?" I screamed at him. "My guy is dead, and Erica is dying." I drawled out. Not wanting to believe that this is what we had risked our lives for.

"The _bureau_ betrayed us, _you_ betrayed us, Deputy Director Locke," I said pointing my finger at his chest, my voice increasing with every passing second. "You betrayed us, the way you betrayed them," I said referring to Israel and Sparazza as Locke kept repeating to me to stop pointing my finger in his face. I couldn't take it anymore.

"Shit fucking asshole!" I called him, he stopped talking, and surprise registering on his face as it dawned on him that I wouldn't accept what he had done.

"Okay if you'd like I'll take your verbal resignation right here—right now." He stated, looking pissed off by what I had just said. "Do you want your career to end here, now like this? Your call." He sated, his finger pointing at me now. my mouth was dry, he still wouldn't admit to what he did—all those deaths for nothing.

"Now I'm prepared to dismiss your behavior, and in light of what's happened I understand it, I really do and I'm truly sorry. But a decision had been made and we're required to abide by it, regardless of our personal feelings—feeling that might run contrary to the collective good, and that I need you to understand."

Collective good? Personal feelings? What the shit was he saying to me? Did he seriously think I gave two fucks about my job anymore? My friend and partner was dead, and the woman I wanted to be with was in a surgery she might not make it out of. How could he think he was doing _any_ good?

"It's time for you to get on a jet back to DC, and make no further inquiry into this matter. Is that understood Agent Messner?" he said to me, his tone hard and serious. "Are we clear Agent Messner?"

He looked at me with a hard and menacing look. He didn't want me speaking about this anymore at all. I couldn't stand here and look at this fool anymore, this was all bullshit. How th e hell did he think he could just do this and get away with it?

"Messner! Are we cl—"

"I quit," I said to him, beginning to remove my gun and badge from my person. The look on his face was one of surprise and shock. "I quit." I said once again. Dropping the gun and badge to the floor and walking away without so much as a glance to him.

How could he do that? I had both Donald and Erica's blood on my hand and he thought that I wouldn't do anything about it? _Regardless of our personal feelings…_ His voice ran through my heads like a mantra. I couldn't think straight, everything happened for nothing—people died for nothing—Erica was dying for nothing.

The rush of people in front of me broke me out of my reverie. There were doctors and nurses running towards the surgical unit like chickens with their heads cut off.

_Erica_.

They were running in the direction I had seen them take her to complete the surgery.

No.

The only time they ran like that was when something went wrong.

_Please let her be okay._

I ran with them, ignoring them telling me to stop. I ran as fast as I could 'till I saw her room. There was a medical team crowded around her, blood all over the floor. What the hell happened? They were supposed to only be putting blood in her, why did it look like someone had been shot in here?

I ran through to the room, not paying attention to the nurses that told me I wasn't supposed to be here, I didn't care, I needed to know what was going on.

"Wh-what happened?" I asked no one in particular. "Someone tell me what the fuck's goin' on!" I said losing patience as they all rushed around me, trying to revive Erica ad the flat line sounded.

"She rejected the transfusion!" A man screamed at me as he had a team working on her. "We're trying to jumpstart her heart back up, but I don't think she's gonna make it."

My whole world stopped as I stood there, watching as they operated on her, trying to bring her back to life. She was…dead. Erica was gone, and for nothing. I couldn't cry anymore, but I sobbed anyway. Dry heaves coming from my chest as I realized I was having a panic attack. I fell down to one knee, my chest burning like hell as I gripped it. someone rushed to me and made me lie on my back; I just stared up at the white ceiling as I continued to hear the continuous flatline that singled Erica's death.

She was dead and I wanted nothing more than to join her right then and there. This wasn't right—both she and Donald died without knowing the truth. my breaths started coming in shorter and shorter, until I saw nothing but blackness.

**Part 4/7. **

**And there you have it, our dear Erica died :( Not fair at all! the next chapter will be the funeral…and then after that I will give you all the happy ending :)**

**Questions, comments, concerns—leave them in a review ;)**


	5. Ain't No Sunshine

**ENDING ONE::PART TWO**

**A week after Erica's death**

**Location: Hudson Hotel; New York, New York**

_The crashing of the waves, the cawing of the seagulls, the warmth of the sun…it was enough to make anyone feel at ease. My body was in the soft sand, soaking up the sun as I lay down in it. I had never felt so at ease—ever. I slowly got up and looked to see I was the only one on the beach. I was alone; there was no one here with me. And then I remembered Erica—she was gone too. I felt a warm tear ease its way down my ace as I looked down at the sand, turning my face away from the view of the blue waters. The love of my life was dead._

"_Hey," a soft voice said as someone from behind me touched my shoulder. A voice I recognized, a touch I remembered._

_Erica._

_I turned around to see her staring back at me alive and beautiful. She looked breathtaking; her ebony black hair was in waves that framed her face, the mocha color of her skin was unwounded and flawless as it gleamed in the sun, her curves were covered by a long, strapless yellow dress that flowed around her beautifully. She looked like a goddess._

_I couldn't believe my eyes, for they were deceiving me. There was no way Erica was here with me, she was…dead._

"_How-what?" I said confused as I felt her warm hands press into the side of my face, reveling in the touch of her skin against my own. This had to be a dream, there was no way Erica was still alive right now. I watched her die._

"_It is a dream my love," she said, bringing her other hand to caress the other side of my face. "We don't have much time." She said to me. I still couldn't believe that I was dreaming of her right now in the first place._

"_Why did you leave me?" I asked her holding my hands in her hips, keeping her close to me, not wanting her to disappear. "I asked you to fight for me, I needed you to-to stay with me, why'd you leave?" my arms wrapped themselves around her completely. One hand tangling itself into her dark locks. Inhaling the ambrosia smell of her that I loved so much._

"_Shhh," she said, turning her face up at mine, as she placed three fingers on my lips. "Don't speak of the bad things. The only important thing is that I'm here with you now."_

_She was right, and that was enough to make me shut up. I held her close to me, closing my eyes as I thought of everything we were going to ,miss out on; marriage, family, kids. I hadn't realized I had wanted this with her until it was too late. I guess that's the price you pay when you don't do as you should._

"_I thought I told you not to dwell on the bad," her voice said giggling her soft laugh I had loved so much._

"_How are you doing that?" I asked confused as I smiled watching her. "How do you know what I'm thinking?"_

_She leaned back to look at me while grinning, "It's a dream silly, you can do anything in a dream," she said pushing herself from me. She caught me off guard as I fell into the sand, as she ran towards the water._

_I laughed as I watched her. So she wanted to be chased—I got up and wasted no time in running after her, it didn't take me long to reach her, I had her in my arms as we both fell down into the water. We were both laughing at the ordeal. She rolled us over, I rolled us over, she rolled us over again, and it kept going like that until I was on top of her. I smiled as I tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear, the rest of her locks getting soaked by the water as we lay in the shore._

"_I love you," I whispered to her and I caressed her face, and she caressed mine. She closed her eyes upon hearing those three words. As if it was what she had been wanting to hear for so long. When she opened her eyes there were tears in them._

"_What?" I said as we both sat up. "What's wrong?" I asked again, placing my hands on her shoulders._

_She shook her head and looked at me "I'm not sad," she said. "I'm happy, I'm happy that I'm here with you right now. You have no idea how much I miss you, how lonely it is without you Richard." She leaned her forehead against mine._

"_Yes I do," I breathed out as we stayed like that in the water for a few moments._

"_I have to go soon." Those five worlds made my world stop. I opened my eyes and looked at her through hurt eyes._

"_No," I begged her. Pleading with her to stay with me. "Stay for a few more minutes Erica, don't go yet."_

"_I have to," she said, bringing her lips to brush against mine as she spoke. "But there's something I need from you first before I go."_

"_What? Anything," I said to her, looking her straight in the eyes as I waited for her to tell me what she needed._

"_This," she said._

_And then her lips pressed fully against mine, the softness of hers had been a feeling I hadn't had in a long time. I pressed my lips against hers even more, wanting to make the kiss last as long as possible. She parted her lips willingly and the passion increased. She fisted her fingers in my hair, her small fingers pulling small tufts of my brown hair. I pulled her to sit on my lap, my hands resting against her hips as our tongues moved against each other. I didn't want this to end, I wanted this to last forever and ever; why couldn't she just stay?_

_As if on cue, she spoke those words I didn't want to hear._

_Her lips broke away from mine, her hands finding their way around my neck as she looked to me and said, "It's time."_

_I opened my eyes and looked deep into her brown pools. Her eyes were both happy and sad at the same time. She took my hand in hers as we stood in the water. Our feet getting covered in the warm liquid._

"_I don't want you to go," I said as I placed my forehead against hers again. "Please-just stay a little while longer."_

"_I can't," she whispered out._

_We stayed like that for a few seconds, but it felt like forever. And then she released my hands from hers. "Good-bye Richard," she said as she placed a kiss on my cheek as she turned and walked the oppisite way of me. Her dress had turned white, and she was completely dry. She was an angel. As she walked further and further away from me, her image faded into nothing. And then I was standing there alone—again._

_Erika. _Her name left my lips in a whisper as I stretched my hand out on the bed to feel nothing but the cold, emptiness of an unspent in side of the bed. It was a dream, just a dream and nothing more. That wasn't the first time I had dreamt of Erica since she died hell I had dreamt of her every night. Hoping that each time I'd wake up she'd be there, but she wasn't; she was gone. That was always the hardest part; giving up because I knew that I would eventually have to wake up and see she wasn't really there. I was starting to think I was going to have to fall asleep with roses in my hand, for all the time I had dreamt of her. But that's all she was ever going to be anymore—a dream. I sat up in the hotel bed, bending my knees up to rest my elbows in them as I sighed heavily.

Today was the funeral.

I got out of bed and headed to the bathroom to do my morning routine. As I showered I thought about the last few days I'd been here. I had flown her with Erica's body; as soon as Don's funeral was over I headed to New York. I knew she would've wanted her funeral with her hometown. I had only been on New York three days, her parents had offered me to stay at their home—but I couldn't do that. It was too painful to have to be in the house where her scent lingered everywhere. I couldn't be in a house filled with so much of her that it hurt.

I stepped out of the shower and went to the sink to shave my face, I hadn't shaved since, and I felt it necessary to do this for her; wanting to look as clean-cut and respectable as possible. Finishing up I headed to get dressed. The rest of the morning went by in a blur, as if I wasn't even there. Like I was some stoic robot…

I was one of the first to arrive at the church, her family being the first. When I went in I saw it right there—her casket. It was almost surreal; I could already feel the tightness of my throat and the tearing up in my eyes. But I wouldn't let them out, I couldn't. She needed someone here that could be strong for her family. I _had_ to be that person; she would've wanted me to.

"He-Hey Mrs. Jones," I spoke as I walked over to Erica's mother, who was standing with her sister Mariah. I couldn't even look at Mariah, she looked like a spitting image of her sister, it was painful to have to be around someone that looked that much like someone you loved and missed.

"Hello Richard," Erica's mother said patting me on the shoulder. She looked so tired, like we all were. I remember calling her to tell her what happened to her daughter. That was probably the second hardest thing I had to do next to watching Erica die. The way she sounded on the phone was enough to break anyone's heart. I felt guilty for having to be the one to tell her, her daughter was killed in a police shootout—an unnecessary death at that. I hadn't told them about that though, I couldn't. If they knew that their daughter had to die under false pretenses, I had no idea what it would do to them.

This wasn't even the first time they had lost a child. I remember Erica telling me about her older brother, Cameron. He died in the war in Iraq, another unnecessary death. Erica didn't like to talk about him much; it was a very sore and touchy subject for her.

"Son," the voice of Erica's father said as I felt someone pat me on the back. I turned to see the elder man standing right next to me. "C'mere a minute will ya?" He asked as he thumbed to an out of ear shot area of the church.

I nodded my head and followed him respectively.

"Yes sir?" I had started; wondering as to what he needed to tell me and how important it was. He hesitated for a moment, pinching the bridge of his nose and then sighing and looking back up at me.

"Look, Erica spoke an awful lot about you," he revealed. I felt the tears beginning to come up again. Using all I could to hold them back."I—my family would really appreciate it if you would speak a few words about her."

My breath hitched in my throat; I hadn't planned on speaking about her, nor had I anything prepared for her. But then again how could I say no to him? Erica's father. I had met him only a few times before when Erica was alive. They had come down once for a Fourth of July barbeque once. And I couldn't disappoint them.

"Sure, sure," I said nodding my head slowly as I contemplated what I had just done. What if I screwed this up horribly? Then what?

"Thanks son," he said to patting me on the back. "I'm sure Erica would've loved this."

The time to speak for her couldn't have came any sooner. It felt as if the entire service had sped up purposefully just to taunt me, but I knew we were running on perfect timing. I stood and walked to stand behind the podium. I hadn't even though about what I would say when I agreed to do it. I figured it would be best and much more heartfelt if I just said whatever I was feeling. But the more everyone looked at me, the more intimidated I felt. Everyone's tear-stained faces silently read to me "don't screw this up." I looked at Erica's casket once more before I started. It was a beautiful white painted silver casket, trimmed with gold accents—beautiful just like her.

"I uh-I hadn't exactly planned on saying anything until recently," I started as I cleared my voice. I looked across the room, everyone's eyes on me. I continued. "Erica—she was one of _the_ most amazing people in the world. She was both fierce and sweet, she was just amazing. I remember sometimes you could talk to her at one moment and she'd be one of the nicest people you'd ever met—and then the next you're out on a case and you see this girl who weighs no more than a buck twenty _wailing_ on this mob boss who's _easily_ three times her size." I had begun laughing, everyone else had laughed at that with me as well.

"There hadn't been one time since I'd known her where she allowed her job to interfere with her personal life, or who she was outside of the office. One thing with Erica was that family _always_ came first—no matter what. Mariah you remember," I said looking over at Erica's sister as I pointed to her as well. "Erica had rushed right home to your side when she heard you were pregnant. She transferred branches and came to your side like that." That made me think of that last day I had seen her. "That was the last time me and her had worked together. I remember-I remember I was so upset with her for leaving without telling me anything about it. Sometimes I regret that I got so angry with her, but then I think of her and how she could never stay mad at _anyone_ for more than ten minutes tops."

People laughed again.

"She was just one of those people ya know?" I looked down as my fingers scrapped at the invisible paper on the podium. Tears coming into my eyes, I didn't stop them this time though, I couldn't. "She was one of those people that just made you love her—fall _in_ love with her." Tears had by now begun falling down my face. "Uh-uh thank you." I said as I looked up at everyone and smiled as I walked down the steps to my seat. Stopping as Erica's parents stood up and held their arms out for me to embrace them in. I did so and allowed the tears to fall freely as I thought of Erica—and how much I loved her.

I sat there, watching as the workers prepared her casket to be lowered into the ground. It took me a while to realize that I was the only one at that hadn't left the burial yet. I sat there in that plastic chair, just watching. Hoping that if I blinked my eyes this would all be false, and I would wake up with her right next to me. But that didn't happen.

"Wait, wait!" I said standing from my chair and walking over to Erica's casket. The workers stopped as they saw me approach it, they stepped back respectfully for me. I placed my hand to glide along the slickness of her casket. Tears' hitting the surface of it as I realized this was it. I sucked in a breath and looked up at the sky; I still couldn't believe she was gone. I bent down to the level of the casket; I kissed the surface if it soft and quick. The coldness of the metal was nothing like her warmth used to be. I leant my forehead against it for a few more moments before I stood.

I turned on my foot, stopping to slide my hand against it once more, "goodbye Erica."

**Part 5/7. **

**Not sure how I feel on this one...**

**Alternative ending one is [complete]…and then after that I will give you all the happy ending :) For those of you that **_**don't**_** (which I highly doubt) want to see Erica & Richard get their happy ending than, the short story ends here for you all. :)**

**Plus I updated this on my birthday y'all, the big 1-8!**

**Questions, comments, concerns—leave them in a review ;)**


	6. Hallelujah

**ENDING TWO::PART ONE**

**A few weeks after the Lake Tahoe incident**

**Location: Messner Residence – Washington DC**

Richard held my bags in one hand and kept the other on the small of my back as we made our way up the stairs of his apartment building. I had been in the hospital for two weeks since the shooting. Its funny how fate works isn't it? I didn't have the courage to tell Richard how I felt about him; until I felt that I was gonna lose him forever. In more ways than one I am extremely grateful that I survived being shot four times.

And I was also in remorse.

That day I had lost my old friends; Don, Steve, Jeff. It didn't make sense—at least not until Richard told me what had actually happened while I was in recovery.

**oOoOoOo**

"Hey," I heard that voice I was in love with. "How you feeling today?" He came into the room with a cup of coffee and a bouquet of lilies—my favorite. He sat the coffee next to the end table by my bed, and pulled up a chair to sit by me. Grasping my hand in his as he sat.

"Still a bit sore," I said allowing my hand to tighten around his own. His feel was becoming more and more imprinted in mine; every time he held my hand our skins molded into each other. "But I can't complain." I finished shrugging.

He smirked and kissed the back of my hand, "these are for you." He handed me the bouquet of flowers and they smelled amazing.

"They're beautiful Richard," I spoke as I examined the flowers admirably. "But you really shouldn't have brought me anymore flowers—I have enough!" I said, gesturing to the plethora of flowers that adorned every surface in my hospital room. Everyone was extremely happy that I had sustained such horrible wounds. The majority of flowers I had were actually from Deputy Director Locke believe it or not.

"They-they're not from me," he said almost in a whisper. I looked over at him, confused at the softness and sadness of his voice. "They're from Don's wife Emily. She said although her husband didn't make it, she's extremely glad that you did."

A lump caught in my throat. It wasn't that I didn't know Don was dead, hell I had seen him die in Richard's arms; it was just that he hadn't brought up his name since that incident. I knew how much it hurt Richard to even speak of his name. But in a way it was different whenever I looked at him when I knew he was thinking of Lake Tahoe. It was as if he seemed both immense sadness and an incredible anger at the situation. I understood the sadness, but the anger was something I couldn't decipher.

"What's wrong?" I finally said, rubbing my hand along his arm, trying to soothe him. He looked back up at me and I could tell something was wrong. His eyes were beginning to water and his mouth opened and closed several times before he finally spoke out to me what he wanted to say.

"The uh-the Israel case had been altered, and Locke withheld that from us," he said as a few tears stared gathering at the corners of his eyes; threatening to spill at any moment. His lips began to quiver as I looked at him with a confused expression.

"Wait, what-what are you talking about?" I said, pulling myself to sit up so that I understood early what he was explaining to me. "What do you mean the case was altered? What did Locke do? Richard," I grabbed both of his hands in mine and forced him to bring his eyes up to look at me. "What did Locke do?"

"Freeman Heller was Primo Sparazza. Israel was Sparazza's son. An-and Locke killed Israel to save Sparazza—he knew all this before the shooting and he did nothing to notify that the case had been changed." I could see Richard getting angrier and angrier the more he spoke on the topic. Hell so was I. I couldn't believe Locke would do such a thing when so many lives were at stake; so many deaths occurred all because he decided it best to not inform us about the truth.

My voice hitched in my throat and I could feel tears already streaming down my face. how in the hell could a person-a human being do that to others? The increasing beeping coming from the machine I was hooked up to signaled that my pressure was going up the more I thought about what Richard had just divulged to me. I looked to my right at the vase of carnations that had been from Locke. Before I even realized what I was doing my slender fingers gripped around the glass and hurled the pot across the room to shatter on the floor as it hit the wall. Dirt, carnations, and water littered the now brown spot of white tiled floor. I looked to see my hands were shaking—I was more hurt than angry; hurt at the fact Locke would subject his men to that.

Richard moved from his spot on the floor to sitting on the side of the bed as he faced me. His large hands found their way to mine and he kissed the inner wrist of each one, his eyes hold my own gaze the entire time. it was like he had this magic touch that seemed to make all the bad things go away. He had this way of making everything seem serene; if only for a few moments. In his arms everything was just—perfect.

**oOoOoOo**

"Ow," I groaned as we reached the last few steps to the apartment. Richard was kind enough to offer to let me stay with him till I could get back to living by myself. And at the moment these stitches were seriously bothering me. The one in my thigh especially, I could feel them tighten every time I took a step up. But that wasn't the one that hurt, it was only uncomfortable. The one that was causing me pain was the one in my chest. The spot was still sore from the surgery, and quite frankly walking up three flights of stairs wasn't helping. It only caused me to breathe harder, which in turn made my chest burn.

"You alright?" Richard said as he unlocked the door to his apartment I had spent many a nights in. I leant against the railing and stopped to catch a breath. It wasn't that I wasn't in shape, quite the contrary—I was in perfect shape. He placed my three bags into the apartment and came back out.

"Yeah I'm fine," I protested as he made his way down to me, not believing a word I was saying. He gave me that 'yeah right' look and proceeded to lift me up bridal style. "Richard seriously, it's only three more steps I'm sure I could've managed without your help you know."

"Yes I'm sure you could've," he retorted with a very mocking tone. I wasn't able to protest as we finally made it into the apartment.

He sat me down on my feet and I looked around the space he owned. It hadn't changed drastically in the two years I hadn't been here. In fact it hadn't really changed at all, the wall was still a coffee brown, the carpet a contrasting, toffee color, and the same off-white furniture. It definitely had that smell that was pure Richard Messner; chocolate and cream. My shoulders warmed as Richard came up behind me to caress them.

"I love you Erika," he whispered into my ear as I melted back into his touch. A girl could get used to this.

And got used to it I did. I had been here a grand total of three and a half months now. Only after living with him for three weeks had he asked me to move in with him, and of course I jumped at the offer. That night we had actually _made love_ for the first time. I was more than better thanks to Richard. He was just so damn good to me; I didn't see how I deserved him. He did everything I asked of him and more. He washed my laundry, he cooked me dinner, and he even gave me foot massages from time to time; for no particular reason but because he wanted to.

God I love this man.

I was just getting out of the shower when I heard the door slam; signaling Richard was back from work. After he quit the FBI he became a free lance detective. I also quit working for the people that betrayed us, and ended up working as Richard's partner and secretary believe it or not. That job definitely had it perks if you know what I mean. I wrapped the tan cotton towel around my naked form and went into the living room to see Richard removing his jacket.

"Hey," he said glancing over in my direction as he hung his jacket on the coat rack. He did a double-take in my direction as he realized I was clad in naught but a towel. "Wow." Was all he said as he walked closer to me and placed his hands on his hips as he looked me up and down.

I could feel my cheeks heat up as I blushed, it was amazing the effect this man had on me. He continued to eye me before he finally spoke again.

"You wanna go out tonight?" he said nonchalantly. His face in a questioning manner as he awaited my response.

"Umm-yeah," I said nodding my head as I looked at him. The smile on his face grew wider as he heard my response. He walked over to me and placed a light peck on my lips before retreating to the bedroom.

"I'm gonna go hop in the shower and we'll leave in about half an hour," he said over his shoulder as he disappeared behind the door that led to the room I had been sleeping in with him for the past months.

I was actually extremely excited to go out tonight; we hadn't been out _out_ in a while. And tonight couldn't have been a better time to decide to spend time together. I headed towards our bedroom as well. I needed something to wear, and I had the perfect dress in mind. I saw it at Lord + Taylor's a few days ago and I just had to have it, despite the cost I knew this dress was perfect for me and that it would come in handy sooner or later. I guess it was sooner.

Richard smiled at me before heading to the bathroom with a towel around his waist, his chiseled abs looking magnificent. God how I hoped this date led to you know what. I'm pretty sure it was something we both could use at the moment.

The dress was a hot, deep red, lil' number. Whenever I looked at the dress, I pictured myself wearing it to give Richard a lap dance to "Down In Mexico" by The Coasters. The dress was a bit of a thin material and only reached mid-thigh—albeit it was asymmetrical and very flowy and fell against my curves perfectly. There were four shoulder straps on the dress, two sat atop my shoulders and two were made to fall off my shoulders, adding a very sexual appeal to it. The neckline left plenty to the imagination as the back of the dress reached to the middle of my back. I didn't wear any jewelry; save for my earrings, the dress was dramatic enough. I had heard Richard exit the bathroom a few minutes ago, but I got ready in the guest room; I didn't want him to see me just yet. I added a few touches of make-up, it was very light. Light smokey eyes, light bronzy cheeks, and a nude, but glossy, lip. The mascara and eyeliner were what stood out the most on my face. My black hair was staying down in waves tonight, framing the toffee colored skin of my face. I snapped a tan colored stiletto onto my foot, and completed my outfit with a small clutch.

I exited the room to see Richard snapping the last buttons on his black button-up. And God did he look amazing. He paired it with some dark blue jeans and black shoes. The scent of him ever present—chocolate and cream.

He looked up at me and it seemed as if he stopped breathing when he looked at me. This outfit did exactly what I wanted it to do—make him speechless. I smirked at him as I walked over to the coat rack to put on my leather jacket.

"Erika you-you look amazing," he said as he walked over and did the same with his jacket. I looked at him and gave him a knowing look before he opened the door that lead downstairs. I brushed against him as I walked out the door and to the car. This was going to be an amazing night.

The restaurant was a lively jazzy type, which made sense because I knew Richard had a love for jazz music. We were seated in a booth, which was perfect considering the moment we sat down it seemed as if Richard couldn't keep his hands off of me. And I didn't mind or protest at all. I was starting to think perhaps I should have worn this dress a long time ago.

"You look so incredible tonight," Richard said to me in my ear as he sat affectionately close to me. His arm around my shoulder and the other drawing invisible patterns on my thigh underneath the table. "I'd really love to skip dinner and have you for desert instead."

I swear this man was making me insane, his voice was laced with pure lust and it was a major turn on. This was a completely new side of the Richard Messner I was in love with. But we ended up staying and having dinner anyway.

More times than once we were tangoing on the dance floor, I had never pegged Richard for the dancing type, but he had proved me wrong. Our hips swayed in a nostalgic way, our bodies impossibly close to each other as we danced as if we were the only two in the room. And that's how it felt at the moment.

We went and sat back at the table as Jason Mraz's "Butterfly" ended. That was probably the sexiest song to dance to with someone you loved more than anything in the world. I drank from the glass before me filled with a virgin Mary, there was no way I wanted to get drunk tonight—I had plans, and I wanted to remember every single one of them without the fuzzy haze you get from the after affects of being drunk.

"You know how much I love you Erika?" he said as he faced me and caressed my hands lovingly. There was something different about tonight; like he was planning out something from the get-go and now it was all coming to the surface. He looked at me intensely and placed a hand to the side of my face. "Do you?" he asked again.

I nodded my head and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Of course I do," I mumbled against his lips. The smell of chocolate and cream wafting up my nose as he continued to speak. "Of course I know how much you love me Richard. I love you too, more than anything in the world."

"I wanna prove it to you," he said as he lent back in the booth to pull something from his pocket.

That's when my heart stopped.

It was a small black box, and I didn't need him to tell me what it was, for I already had an idea. He brought it to my line of vision and looked at me lovingly.

"Erika Shelya Jones," he said my full name as he brought held the box right before him. "I love you so damn much, and I don't wanna waste anymore time of not having you as my wife. Will you marry me?"

I choked back sobs as I nodded and said yes more times than I could count. This was definitely something I hadn't thought of tonight. Completely caught me by surprise. And I was immensely overcome with joy as he slipped the ring, small but satisfactory, on my slender ring finger. I was gonna be Mrs. Richard Dean Messner and I couldn't have been happier.

My back slammed against the wall next to the front door as Richard kissed me hungrily. He couldn't wait, and neither could I. Hell I wouldn't mind if he had just did me right here where our neighbors could see—only that would cause as stir with the other tenants, an eviction notice from the land lord, and an arrest for public discrepancy from the police. One hand was on my back as the other was trying to unlock the door to the apartment as he smashed his lips onto mine, moving them lustfully and also lovingly.

Finally making it into the apartment we entered, Richard's hands still around me, as he closed the door with his foot. I slipped the jacket from my arms, letting it fall to the floor as Richard did the same with his. I highly doubted that we were going to make it to the bed at the rate we were going.

And we didn't.

As soon as my back clashed with any solid surface, Richard hoisted me up onto the kitchen counter and proceeded to straddle me. I felt the coldness of the countertop flush against my back, causing me to arch my chest into Richard's. His hands couldn't have been moving faster to get me out of this dress. He was already out of his shirt and I really wanted him out of those jeans, I could only imagine how uncomfortable he must have been due the lump that was forming in the crotch area. Soon enough I helped him out of said jeans, his boxers coming off with them. The dress came above my head and to the floor with Richard's shirt as I was now halfway naked, my panties the only barrier between us, as I had decided against wearing a bra just for tonight. His erection was pressed hard against my inner thigh as he leaned down to remove the thin fabric keeping me from him.

As soon as that was out of the way he wasted _no_ time in entering me. I gasped sharply at the sensation of Richard finally being in me. It was a sensation I yearned for and he fulfilled that yearn like only he could.

His thrusts were slow at first, his face looking in a contortion of pleasure as he looked straight at me to witness what he was doing to me. Had it been any other man looking at me as we committed this act I would've felt embarrassed, but it being Richard…it only fueled the arousal I had for him. I'm guessing the expression on my face was pleasing to him because the pace increased immensely.

My thighs gripped his waist tightly as I drug my nails down his arms as he pushed into me, I could feel myself clamp down on him every time he thrust into me. This was the most amazing feeling in the world and all because it was Richard giving it to me. The fact that we were doing this in the kitchen, on the countertop no less simply made this all the better due to the taboo feel of it.

I was crying out in pants and heavy breaths as Richard made love to me. His own grunts and moans were simply making me want more of him, if that was even possible. I knew we would soon both be coming to a climax soon, for Richard always made this specific sound accompanied with a specific look when he was about to come. And there that sound and look was.

His eyebrows were furrowed and the sexy, deep, "growl" came out of his mouth like music to my ears. He crashed his lips down onto mine as I felt that peak that I was waiting for. If it was at all possible my thighs somehow got even tighter around him and a piercing moan emitted from my mouth as I felt myself clamp down on Richard. My hands went over my head as I grabbed whatever was behind me and threw it towards the wall behind Richard. I was in _that_ much pleasure. Apparently it was something of fragile nature, I heard it shatter into tiny pieces and frankly I didn't give a damn.

Richard finished his final thrusts with a shutter; I was actually still spasming over the after effects of such an intense orgasm. I swear this man had ruined me for anyone else—not that there was ever going to be anyone else, but for arguments sake, if there was, there was no way they would compare to Richard. He collapsed on top of me; his breathing hard and ragged next to my ear.

He pulled himself out of me and rolled over only to be met with the floor of the kitchen.

I couldn't contain a laugh as I heard Richard grunt in pain. I got up off of the countertop to see him in a heap on the floor. I simply smirked and straddled him, catching his lips in a passionate kiss.

"Are you okay Mr. Messner?" I said placing kisses along every part of his chest and face. he looked to me and smiled.

"Not yet, but I will be, future Mrs. Messner," he said, pulling me back to his lips as I felt him go hard again against my thigh. This was going to be a long night.

**Part 6/7. **

**Oh man that was too hot for even me to write! *sigh* I would love to have Ryan Reynolds do me on a countertop, so Airika dear that was for you, hope it keeps you satisfied until I get the next and FINAL one up (still got the easter eggs to do ;))**

**Questions, comments, concerns—leave them in a review ;)**


	7. This Womans Work

**ENDING TWO::PART TWO**

**August 20****th**** – Six months after the engagement**

**Location: Palm House at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden – New York, NY**

I knew I was nervous, I was more than nervous. I had more emotions running through my body than I could count. My wedding began in half an hour, and the butterflies fluttering in my stomach were flapping their wings 100 times a minute. I didn't have cold feet; I was more than sure I wanted to marry Richard. It was just the fact that this was finally happening. I was finally marrying the man of my dreams.

"You look beautiful sweetheart." I looked into the mirror to see my mother standing behind me. Her hazel eyes watering with tears of joy. She walked over to me and held my shoulders in her beige colored hands; her own skin contrasting against my caramel tone. "Just beautiful—I can't believe you're getting married Erica."

I turned to face her, my arms immediately finding their way around her neck. The smell of her Chanel No 5 perfume wafting up my nose. She always wore that fragrance; it was how I remembered her. She tightened her hold around my waist and I could feel her tears beginning to fall against my exposed shoulder.

"Mom don't cry," I said pulling back from her, turning to reach for a tissue from the Kleenex box next to my make-up. "Your mascara will run." I giggled and dabbed the tears from her face, my own eyes beginning to sprout their own set of tears.

"Erica! _You_ don't cry. I did not just spend forty-five minutes doing your make-up just so you could ruin it again," my sister Mariah said exiting the bathroom in all her seven months pregnant glory. This was her second baby with her husband of six years and she was only three years younger than me. She had gotten married at nineteen, had Lyric at twenty-one, and now here she was having another baby at twenty-three. I guess it was safe to say my sister took the Susie Homemaker route, whereas I took the career woman route.

"I'm sorry Mariah," I said turning to fix myself as I looked in the mirror at my reflection. My skin looked radiant against the pure white color of the strapless Vera Wang dress I wore. The flowy, loose fit of the Grecian styled dress lay against my body perfectly. Parts of my wavy hair pinned up, and held by tiny flower pins all over my hair and two silver bands lined with tiny flowers as well; curly black tendrils of hair framed my face as the rest cascaded down my back.

"Five more minutes' ladies," the booming voice of my father said as he entered the room. A smile plastered on his face as he looked at me. Tears on its way to welling up my eyes once more.

"Oh no you don't," Mariah said as she quickly grabbed a tissue and began patting my face. Laughs coming from the throats of my mother and father. "I worked too hard to go through this all over again, now you just sit there, and hold back those tears." Mariah's own soft voice began cracking as she cleaned up the tears from my face. I began laughing which in turn stopped the tears from flowing any further.

"Oh c'mon girls before you all start crying," my father said as he rushed everyone out of the room and to get ready for the wedding procession. He stayed behind with me, waiting to walk me down the aisle.

I grabbed the bouquet of flowers colored with the same lilac shade of mine and Richard's wedding. My father kissed the top of my veiled covered head and I linked my arm into his as we made our way out to the garden where the wedding was being held. I stood hidden as I watched my wedding party descend down the aisle before me. The black tuxedos and lilac dresses meshing beautifully along the white runner. Before I knew it an instrumental version of Sia's "My Love" had began playing by the pianist; Lyric's cue to start out there with the flowers in her white basket.

I wasn't far behind Lyric as me and my father began walking down the aisle. The entire wedding guests standing as I entered the room accompanied by my father. My eyes immediately flashed over to Richard's. And the look on his face was beautiful. He smiled at me, and I smiled back. All the while choking back tears of joy as I made my way down the aisle to him. I couldn't believe we were really at this point finally.

Only a few more steps and I would be standing right next to him. As we finally reached the end of the aisle, my father gave me away and I was able to join hands with Richard. That's when the tears had begun falling. All I remembered from that point was me saying "I do" and him slipping the ring and band on my finger.

**oOoOoOo**

Only an hour ago had our plane landed in Oahu, Hawaii and we were still browsing through the small streets of the island. Buying little knick knacks here and there; souvenirs to take back home with us when our two week honeymoon was over. I was looking at some handcrafted jewelry of seashells while Richard was talking to a young, teenaged, native of how to find the beach house we rented out. As I browsed over the jewelry, I spotted the most amazing shark tooth necklace—it was perfect for Richard, I had to buy it for him.

"Hey honey you ready?" Richard said coming over and placing his hand on the small of my back just as I was paying for the necklace. "The guy over there said it's only about a few more minutes away, said he wouldn't mind driving us over there on his "bike-cab" thingy." I looked over at him as I handed the money yo the elderly lady and said thank you on Hawaiian.

"Here put this on," I said ignoring his protests as I snaked the necklace around his neck and fastened it anyway. He looked at me confused and just smiled at me and kissed my forehead. "Yeah c'mon. I'm pretty sure our bags are already there anyway." I faced the same direction as Richard as he placed his arm around my shoulder and mine would its way around his waist. We walked over to the caddy and snuggled ourselves against each other as the boy named, Kaponu, drove us to the beach house.

He was right; it really was only a few minutes away, only we had to walk the rest of the way there due to the fact that it was semi closed off. The walk was only about eight minutes thankfully; close enough to town, but far enough for privacy.

Richard opened the door and we entered to see a beautifully illuminated house.

"Wow, Richard look at this," I said walking in further to see the glass wall leading in the living room that led to a secluded part of the beach. "This is amazing honey," I said turning to place my hands on either side of his face as I kissed him passionately.

"I know," he said as his hands went to my hips, rubbing up and down my sides as he inched my shirt from the inside of my shorts. "And just think," he said kissing me again, this time moving his lips to place hot kisses all over my neck. "We have this to ourselves for two weeks."

"Two," he kissed my forehead, "amazing," my right eye, "wonderful," my left eye, "long," my nose," weeks." He finished as he kissed my mouth, his tongue immediately slipping past the barrier that was my lips.

I moaned as he kissed me and we moved further into the house. Pushing him back slightly so I could unbutton my shirt for him; doing it slowly as I walked away from him. I remembered how to find the bedroom from the website so I made my way there. I allowed my shirt to drop on the floor as I watched Richard eye me hungrily. Next I removed my tank top and threw it at him; he caught it in his hands and gave me that devilish smirk I had loved so much. I saw the door of the bedroom come into view just as I was unbuttoning my shorts, sashaying out of them as they dropped to the floor; kicking off my flip flops as well in the process. Now I was clad in nothing but my nude toned, lace undergarments and I could physically see Richard was aroused by that, for the growing bulge in his khaki shorts gave him away.

He removed his button up as well, flinging it behind him carelessly as he walked closer to me. The backs of my legs hit the edge of the bed, but I quickly steadied myself just as Richard came to grip my hips. His lips immediately covering mine in the process, my back hitting the sheets of the king sized bed as Richard hovered on top of me.

"You can be a real tease sometimes you know," Richard said to me in between kisses as I undid the buckle on his pants. His own fingers prying mine from finishing the job as he leaned up, hoisting himself up by his elbows. "Wait, this is my wedding gift to you."

"You already gave me a wedding gift, remember?" I said breathing heavily as he lifted me higher onto to the bed center. His fingers hooking around my panties as he leaned closer to the lower half of my body. I knew where this was leading.

"Well consider this a honeymoon gift," he said as he drew the panties all the way down my legs and off of my ankles. I heard the sound of his pants fall to the floor as he climbed back up to the bed, his lips trailing kisses on every inch of my leg, and to my thigh.

"Wait—Richard," I said leaning up to look at him as his head was placed in between my thighs. "What-what are you doing?" Neither of us had ever performed oral sex on each other, let alone anyone else—well I could say that about myself, Richard not so much.

"Would you relax and let me take care of my wife." His strong hands pushed me back down as he once again began placing kisses all over my inner thighs, inching closer and closer to the one thing that he knew would make me go crazy.

His chestnut colored hair brushed up against the lower part of my abdomen, making my gasp as his fingers parted me open. The feel of his warm breath on _that_ part of my anatomy made me moist to the core. His lips kissed the buddle of nerve endings that were the center of my orgasms and I moaned loudly. He brought one hand up to keep my hips from jerking; the feel of his hand was cold against my hot body that was rising in temperature. Finally I felt the wetness of his tongue slide across me, I cried out and my hips uncontrollably jerked under Richard's stronghold. This was a feel I had never experienced before, partially because I never allowed it to go _this_ far—ever.

Ri-Richard," I moaned as I brought one hand to grasp his own that lay on my stomach and the other above my head, gripping tightly onto the burnt orange colored pillows. My thighs involuntarily found their way, resting on top of Richard's shoulders.

He hummed against my heat as his tongue continued to perform these taboo ministrations on me. The vibrations coming out of his mouths working wonders against my entrance. He brought his tongue to circle around my opening and then he slipped it inside of me. I screamed out at this and both hands gripped the pillows beneath my head, my thighs tightening around Richard's head as he continued lapping at my core. His thumb simultaneously rubbed against the bundle of nerves once again, making me pant and cry out even more.

I felt a tightness in the lower part of my body, a sign that all of this pleasure was about to reach a peak and be over. Richards's version of taking care of his wife was something I was going to welcome into our sex life from this night on. His tongue increased in pace as I felt that tightness only get tighter each time he swiped his tongue against me.

Before I knew it, sounds of pure ecstasy were escaping my mouth as my orgasm occurred. My eyes closing as I felt white searing pleasure that literally brought tears to my eyes. My hips constantly twitching upwards as Richard began holding them down with both hands. My feet locked themselves around Richard's neck as my thighs constricted against his head, I'm almost 99.99% sure that I was only two minutes from breaking his neck.

I guess I was right because his hands quickly left my hips and forced my thighs apart as he pressed them hard against the bed. Looking up at me as his face was red and tears were forming in his eyes, "you trying to kill me woman?" he chocked out in short breaths.

I simply looked at him and smiled, "well that was your fault Mr. Messner." I said relaxing against the bed, feeling it shift as Richard climbed up to me and settled himself in between my legs, resting his weight against me. "That was amazing."

He smirked at me and simply began placing hot kisses all over my neck. My hands immediately going under his arms to hold his back. My thighs inched higher until they were sitting against his waist. He moved his hand down and positioned himself at my opening, without a second lost he slowly began entering me, his hand coming up to rest on the bed next to my head. I looked him in the eye, lifting so I could kiss him passionately as he began moving inside of me—not caring that he had just did the unimaginable to my nether regions.

God how I loved this man.

His hands gripped around my hips as he rolled over to his back, leaving me on top, in total control. I ground my hips against his own, my hands immediately falling against his chest for support. Every time I rotated my hips a certain way, he would thrust upwards, meeting my ministrations. His large hands ran up and down my side, kneading the sides of my breast to where I was moaning again. I started riding against him at a quicker pace and his fingers gripped even tighter against my hips, I was sure they'd leave bruise marks in the morning, but at the moment I was not caring about bruises.

"Oh God Erica," Richard said as he sat up and brought his head into the crook of my neck, placing hot sloppy kisses all over my neck. This man was magnificent.

His hands to an even tighter hold on my hips as he gripped them tightly, forcing me backwards as both of us landed on the floor of the bedroom, him still inside me and pumping away like crazy. I fisted my hands into tufts of his hair, pulling at them as he slammed his own hips into mine. My back colliding with the floor with each thrust. I held himself up on one hand and looked at me as he continued to make love to me.

"You know I love you right," he said more like a statement than a question. Looking down at me as I saw tears collecting in the corners of his eyes but not yet falling.

"Mhmm," I nodded as I looked up at him, my fingers caressing the side of his face lovingly. "I love you too Richard, _oh god_, so much."

"Oh, Erica," he said as I saw that look appearing on his face, his eyebrows furrowing and a low "growl" forming in his throat as he pushed himself against me faster. "Oh G-God Erica."

Once again I, in more or less words, screamed his name as I felt another wave of pure orgasmic ecstasy course its way through my veins. My thighs clamped so tight around his waist, a 500 ton pulley couldn't pry us apart. His body shook in jolts as he emptied himself into me. My own body reacting similar as it twitched during the after effects of the orgasm. No longer having the strength to hold himself up, he collapsed on top of me breathing hard and heavy. My hands running through wafts of his hair as I whispered sweet nothings into his ears.

This was going to be an amazing two weeks to ourselves.

**Two years after the wedding & honeymoon**

**Location: Messner Residence – New York, NY**

"Goddamn it Richard!" I yelled as I threw my hands up in exasperation and frustration. "Why the hell won't you just fuck me?" I screamed at him as he jumped off of the bed, clad in his work suit.

He looked at me as if I had two heads, "are you serious? We just made love three times last night, twice in bed this morning, and just again three times in the shower Erica!" he yelled back at me as he tried to fix his tie and shirt that I attempted to rip off of him. "You're trying to kill me or something.' He mumbled under his breath but I still heard it.

I jumped to my feet on the bed, wearing one of his old football jerseys and a pair of underwear. "You know you're the one that's a guy! You're supposed to be the one to grab it when I throw it at you!"

His eyes practically bugged out of his head as he looked at me with my arms crossed over my chest, "where is all of this coming from? Why all of a sudden you sound like a horny eighteen year old college frat boy?" he said going to sit on the bed as he began tying up his dress shoes. "You're gonna make me late for work Erica."

"The boss can't be late to his own company," I muttered under my breath as I sunk to my knees on the bed, disappointed that he wasn't seduced by me yet.

"Well the boss has to set a good example for his employees now doesn't he?" he said over his shoulder.

After we got back from Oahu, Richard's detective company had grew out to a much bigger clientele, so big that he had to start hiring more detectives and investigators—me and him just weren't cutting it anymore.

I sighed in defeat and crawled over to sit behind Richard. Rubbing my hands up and down his suit clad shoulders. "I'm sorry baby," I said as I rested my chin on his shoulder. "I really don't know what's come over me these past few days. I'm sorry okay."

"It's alright honey," he sighed and leaned his head over in my direction. "I understand alright."

He leaned back to kiss me and I immediately slipped my tongue in his mouth. My legs quickly wrapped themselves around his waist, holding him in place as I tried to slip his jacket off of his shoulders. Unfortunately he overpowered me and he pried my legs from around him and jumped off of the bed as if he had sat on a flaming stove.

"Erica!" he yelled at me, his hands opening as he continued to berate me. "What the hell is wrong with you? You're acting like some sort of sex-crazed maniac!"

That hurt. My lips had begun quivering, and I was not able to hold back the tears that immediately began pouring down my face. I mean I was now crying hysterically all because of that bastard I called my husband. How in the hell could he say that to me? His wife?

"Ah shit," he said in a murmur. Quickly I felt his hands on my knees, rubbing them as he tried to soothe me. "Eri-Erica baby I'm sorry."

"No you're not!" I said, pushing him back off of me as I stormed out into the living room. Picking up his brief case and throwing it at him as he followed me. "Just take your shit and go to work! I don't even wanna look at you anymore!"

He caught it expertly in his hands and just looked at me, sighed and left out of the front door after he grabbed his car keys. I seriously was pissed at him—and hurt that he said that. Why would he say that? It's not my fault that I was horny all the time for the past few weeks. I couldn't help it!

_God I could really go for a number one at McDonalds and a Grande Burrito from Ta—wait, could I be?_

**oOoOoOo**

"Yep," my gynecologist said to me as she looked over the clipboard with the tests from my blood on them. "You are officially pregnant. Let's see how far long you are." She had me lie back and remove my underwear, as she had a nurse come and work on getting the ultrasound hooked up.

I watched the screen as she moved the monitor around—the one that goes _inside_. Soon enough an image resembling an oversized bean came on the screen.

"Just what I suspected—eleven and a half weeks pregnant you are," she said with a cheerful voice as she removed the, whatever it was called, from me. "Congratulations Mrs. Messner!"

**oOoOoOo**

I had immediately rushed right over to Richards work and to his office. He looked both surprised and scared to see me; I actually found it amusing to be honest. I inched my way over to his side of the desk, taking a seat on it as I took his hands in mine.

"You're not here to—you know?" he said, fear etched all in his eyes. "Are you?"

"No, I promise," I simply laughed and shook my head, interlacing my fingers with his own. "Richard I just came back from the doctor."

He immediately jumped up, a different kind of fear spread across his face, "what's wrong? Are you alright? What'd they say? Erica say something!" he took to softly shaking my shoulders as he grew impatient to why I was at the doctor.

"Well if you give me a minute to explain I will," I said making him sit back down in his chair. "There's absolutely nothing wrong, quite the contrary actually." He looked extremely relieved as he leaned back in his seat, fingers pinching at the bridge of his nose.

"That's good then," he said, his hand grasping mine again. "So then why were you at the doctors?" now his face was etched with pure curiosity.

"Richard," I said, a smile growing from cheek to cheek on my face. "I'm pregnant."

His eyes lit up like lights when I told him the news; he stood and picked me up, spinning me around the large area of his office. Kissing me nonstop as he sat me down on my feet. I guess it was safe to say that within the next minute I ended up getting exactly what I had wanted from him.

_**Fin**_

**Part 7/7. **

**I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S COMPLETE! That was so much fun to write, I don't even wanna stop! But no worries, I have many an easter eggs to come out after this my lovelies. Airika I hoped you enjoyed this journey just as much as I did, *sigh* that was fun.**

**Questions, comments, concerns—leave them in a review ;)**


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